Why Elton John faced criticism for teaming up with Eminem.
It’s been 20 years since that iconic Eminem and Elton John’s performance of ‘Stan’ at the 43rd Grammy Awards in February 2001. Despite the fact that Eminem did not win the Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year, he remained the center of attention at the highly tense event due to protests against his violent and homophobic lyrics. Eminem who won the ‘Best Rap Album‘ trophy at the event for his classic ‘The Marshall Mathers LP‘, received huge backlash due to his lyrics which allegedly spreads hate speech and homophobic ideas. The controversy became bigger when it was announced that Elton John will perform with the Detroit rap star.
But John said that, after receiving the invitation from Eminem, he had no qualms about agreeing to appear. “I’m a big fan of his music, and I said I would be delighted to,” he told the L.A. Times. “I know I’m going to get a lot of flak from various people who are going to picket the show [but] I’d rather tear down walls between people than build them up.” Asked if he believed the then-28-year-old rapper really was “hateful,” he replied: “If I thought for one minute that he was, I wouldn’t do it.”
The GLAAD organization (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) said that they were “appalled” at Elton’s evident support for someone “whose words and actions promote hate and violence.” A spokesperson added “It’s hurtful. It’s embarrassing.”
Ken Ehrlich, the former Grammy producer who helped to put up the whole thing at the 43rd Grammy Awards, talks about how the whole thing came together.
“I produced the show, so a lot of it was my decision. We wanted him, there wasn’t any question,” Ken recalls. “Granted he was, I don’t want to even use the word controversial. He was an extremely unique artist who was not hesitant about expressing his point of view. And by the way, some of that point of view was pointed at the Grammys.”
“I remember getting a call,” Ehrlich continues, “It might have been someone at the label, it might’ve been someone from [Eminem’s team], but I think we had already been thinking about it, just not necessarily in those terms. We were looking for a duet partner because they had expressed to us that he was interested in performing with another artist.”
I got to see my Uncle Elton tonight at the Oscars. Congrats on your win too, Sir! @eltonofficial pic.twitter.com/9HsQHvGzM4
— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) February 10, 2020
Ehrlich had a decades-long relationship with John, so he says “it was easy to talk to Elton” about the potential collaboration. The iconic singer took to the idea immediately.
“As soon as we got the message to Elton that we were interested, he sparked to it,” he recalls. “Elton said, ‘This is exactly the kind of thing that I want to do. I want to break down these barriers. If [Eminem’s] OK with it and he wants to do it. I’d love to do it.’”
Outside on the street, protesters have previously criticized Mr Greene, Eminem, and Elton John. The lesbian comedian Robin Tyler, who made the Streisand/Braun joke at a small gathering, accused Eminem of composing “neo-Nazi lyrics.” “Find your edgy voice, Eminem, but don’t carve it on the backs of gays and lesbians,” Gwenn Baldwin of the LA Gay and Lesbian Centre remarked when the limos arrived with the attendees.
Check out the whole thing here at Yahoo Entertainment.
